United States Defense and Military Forces

News about United States Defense and Military Forces, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Jul. 27, 2015

Op-Ed article by Prof David Vine contends Congress should take its efforts to save money by closing military bases a step further by also closing military bases abroad; asserts foreign bases waste billions of dollars and undermine national security by provoking anti-American sentiment and heightening military tensions; holds closing of foreign bases would generate far less rancor than closing of domestic bases. MORE

Jul. 25, 2015

Editorial argues Army's plan to cut 40,000 troops from its force of 450,000 over period of two years is sensible and necessary move, despite alarm and political backlash that move has prompted; holds country can well meet its defense obligations with reduced numbers; supports fiscal savings and adherence to 2011 Budget Control Act as driving rationales for defense cuts. MORE

Jul. 24, 2015

Pentagon says Army laboratory employed insufficient testing and irradiation in sending dozens of samples of live anthrax to facilities in United States and worldwide; says there was no criminal or malicious intent behind shipments. MORE

Jul. 23, 2015

Investigators say soldiers at scene of shooting in Chattanooga, Tenn, including some of five who were slain, risked their lives trying to distract gunman Mohammod Abdulazeez from larger group of potential victims; say those who died effectively sacrificed themselves to save others. MORE

Jul. 23, 2015

Armed civilians have begun showing up to guard military recruitment centers across United States following attack on military facility in Chattanooga, Tenn; many say they will continue until officers at centers are themselves armed; military officials politely discourage trend, expressing concern that armed presence will discourage people from entering centers to enlist. MORE

Jul. 21, 2015

FBI investigation into Mohammod Abdulazeez, gunman in Chattanooga, Tenn, attacks that killed four Marines, fatally wounded one and injured two others, reveals deeply troubled young man struggling with mental illness and drug addiction who was critical of United States policies in Middle East; authorities examining his computer also find that he viewed material connected to radical American-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki. MORE

Jul. 21, 2015

Military officials order increased security at recruiting centers and all of its other United States facilities after four Marines and Navy petty officer were killed in shooting rampage in Chattanooga, Tenn. MORE

Jul. 20, 2015

Residents of Chattanooga, Tenn, many of them with ties to military, share feelings of grief and patriotism after fatal shooting of four Marines and one Navy seaman; anger at gunman Mohammod Abdulazeez is also common and feelings are mixed regarding city's sizable Muslim community. MORE

Jul. 18, 2015

Gunnery Sgt Thomas Sullivan and Lance Cpl Squire Wells, two of four Marines killed in shooting at Chattanooga, Tenn, recruitment center, are mourned by family who understood dangers of deployment but never thought men would be killed at home. MORE

Jul. 18, 2015

Federal agents investigate background and activities of Mohammod Youssuf Abdulazeez searching for motive for shooting rampage at military sites in Chattanooga, Tenn; focus on seven-month trip he made to Jordan in hopes of discovering whether he had contact with or was inspired by Islamist extremists; seize his computer, cellphone and other electronics for forensic analysis. MORE

Jul. 17, 2015

Kuwaiti-born gunman Mohammod Youssuf Abdulazeez opens fire on military recruiting station in Chattanooga, Tenn, then goes to second military site where he kills four Uniited States Marines before being shot to death; federal domestic terrorism investigation is launched, but Federal Bureau of Investigation officials report no known direct ties between Abdulazeez and international terrorist organizations. MORE

Jul. 17, 2015

Neighbors of Mohammod Youssuf Abdulazeez, suspect in killing of four Marines and wounding of at least three other people in Chattanooga, Tenn, in act described as domestic terrorism, say he never showed signs of Islamic extremism. MORE

Jul. 17, 2015

Mimi Swartz Op-Ed article explores historical roots of paranoia in Texas surrounding military exercise known as Jade Helm 15; notes that most Texans have matured and no longer view federal government with the level of distrust some in state continue to cling to. MORE

Jul. 16, 2015

Residents of Christoval, Tex, find that military exercise dubbed Jade Helm 15 has had little impact on their lives on first day of its eight-week duration; exercise involving several branches of military, including Special Operations troops, is taking place in Texas and five other states; residents around Christoval had expressed wide range of fears, fueled by conservative bloggers and postings on Internet. MORE

Jul. 14, 2015

Defense Sec Ashton B Carter announces that Pentagon is working on plan that would allow transgender people to serve openly in military. MORE

Jul. 14, 2015

Editorial welcomes announcement by Defense Sec Ashton Carter that he has asked senior Pentagon officials to examine what will be required to end ban on open service in United States military by transgender troops; calls ban discriminatory and suggests it should be relatively easy to end prohibition, given that other nations have seamlessly incorporated transgender troops into their armed forces (Series: Transgender Today). MORE

Jul. 13, 2015

Suicide car bomb attack kills 25 people and wounds 15 outside Camp Chapman, United States military base in southeastern Afghanistan; Taliban asserts responsibility for attack; same base was sight of suicide bombing in 2009 that killed seven Central Intelligence Agency operatives. MORE

Jul. 13, 2015

Willingness of United States Marine Corps to accept female recruits is questioned after Lt Col Kate Germano is relieved of command of all-women boot camp at Parris Island; corps says dismissal was not related to gender and that two internal investigations found she had disobeyed chain of command and mistreated subordinates. MORE

Jul. 10, 2015

Gen Joseph F Dunford Jr, speaking at Senate hearing on his nomination for Joint Chiefs of Staff, singles out Russia as greatest national security threat to United States. MORE

Jul. 9, 2015

Study in journal JAMA Psychiatry finds that wartime suicide attempts are most common among newly enlisted soldiers who are yet to be deployed. MORE

Jul. 5, 2015

Japanese Prime Min Shinzo Abe is pushing to build United States Marine Corps base off coast of Okinawa in effort to cement Japan's position as United States' most valuable Asian ally; plan, long opposed by Okinawan residents, has drawn renewed and fierce protests. MORE

Jul. 5, 2015

Investigation by 11-person board of NATO officals into violent clash between American soldiers and citizens in Kabul, Afghanistan, finds American troops acted with considerable restraint, even after one of them was stabbed. MORE

Jul. 2, 2015

Pentagon announces nomination of Lt Gen Robert B Neller as commandant of Marine Corps, ending nearly two months of uncertainty over who would lead the force as it prepares for the prospect of opening combat roles to women. MORE

Jun. 27, 2015

Nepalese Army attributes cause of United States Marine helicopter crash in May 2015 to bad weather and region's geography. MORE

Jun. 23, 2015

United States Army reprimands Maj Gen Dana J H Pittard, former deputy commander for operations in the Middle East, for awarding $492,000 defense contract to company run by former West Point classmate; Army review board will decide whether to strip him of his rank before granting his retirement request. MORE

Jun. 22, 2015

Conflict Research Records Center, archive containing captured enemy documents and providing scholars with opportunity to examine inner workings of United States' foes, closes due to lack of Pentagon funding; critics point to center's closing as evidence of flawed national priorities; Pentagon officials say they are planning to transfer archive to civilian institution. MORE

Jun. 19, 2015

Military jury recommends that Marine Sgt Lawrence Hutchins III, who has twice been convicted of murdering an Iraqi civilian, receive no additional prison time beyond seven years he has already served; also recommends that he be given bad-conduct discharge. MORE

Jun. 19, 2015

Senate passes $600 billion defense policy bill and then immediately rejects measure to fund it as Democrats roll out first in series of strategic moves to force Republicans to reopen budget talks; bill included provisions to rein in pension costs, ban use of torture, and authorize lethal offensive weapons for Ukraine. MORE

Jun. 18, 2015

Defense Sec Ashton B Carter tells House Committee on Armed Services reason they are falling short of fall deadline to train 24,000 Iraqi security force members to fight Islamic State group is because Iraqi government has not provided enough recruits. MORE

Jun. 17, 2015

Air Force is being forced to cut back on daily number of drone flights in overseas conflict zones due to operator burnout, even as military and intelligence officials are requesting increase in number of flights needed to handle escalating clashes; wave of remote pilots, worn out by job's unique stresses, are choosing to retire once their obligation to Air Force is complete. MORE

Jun. 14, 2015

Pentagon, seeking to deter potential Russian aggression in Europe, proposes first major expansion of troops and heavy weaponry in Eastern Europe since end of Cold War; are proposing to deliver battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and as many as 5,000 American troops to NATO member nations in region; plan, if approved, would signal major shift in policy and send clear message of resolve to allies and Russia. MORE

Jun. 9, 2015

Relatives of some of five Nepalese civilians who died in May 2015 Marine helicopter crash express anger at slow pace of investigation and demand compensation from Nepal and United States. MORE

Jun. 9, 2015

Annual military policy bill on floor in Senate exemplifies how Sen John McCain is attempting to wield chairmanship of Armed Services Committee to advance long-held national security and domestic policy agendas; $600 billion bill would rein in escalating costs while granting increased leeway for military to manage its own programs and expenses; would also fund arms for Ukrainians under attack by Russian-backed separatists. MORE

Jun. 9, 2015

Editorial praises American Medical Assn for issuing resolution that challenges military policy of barring transgender troops as having no medically sound basis; urges Pres Obama and Defense Sec Ashton Carter to end discriminatory policy. MORE

Jun. 6, 2015

Nepalese Army says American military helicopter that crashed in May had on board five Nepali civilians in addition to six United States Marines and two Nepalese soldiers who were reported killed in crash. MORE

Jun. 5, 2015

United States Military says Black Hawk helicopter that crashed in March off Florida coast, killing 11 servicemen during training exercise, was due to pilot disorientation while switching from visual to instrument-based procedures amid thick fog. MORE

Jun. 4, 2015

Pentagon is pushing for end to ban on purchasing Russian rocket engines, which was instituted after Russia annexed Crimea; some in Congress like Sen John McCain, one of Russia's fiercest critics, have been angered by request, and some lawmakers have pressed for ending NASA's reliance on Russia for rocket engines. MORE

Jun. 4, 2015

Defense Dept reports that it has mistakenly sent live anthrax samples to at least 51 laboratories in 17 states and three foreign countries, higher number than one issued previously by department; officials say samples pose no danger to public, but health of 31 lab workers is being monitored. MORE

Jun. 4, 2015

Editorial calls on Unites States Military to rescind anachronistic personnel guidelines that prevent transgender service members from serving openly, and which can lead to their expulsion; observes there are some 15,500 transgender troops serving in uniform, with many living in silence and scorn while others have been allowed to come out and even advance amid patchwork of unofficial rules; examines stories of several service members (Series: Transgender Today). MORE

May. 30, 2015

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency finds numerous violations by Bank of America related accounts of 73,000 military service members that will result in $30 million fine. MORE

May. 28, 2015

Pentagon reports accidental shipment of live Anthrax spores to as many as nine laboratories, which were supposed to receive inactive spores; officials say public is not at risk, and mishap is under investigation. MORE

May. 26, 2015

Sailors on shore leave in New York City during Fleet Week tend more toward cultural tourism than of drunken revelry as in times past; not only have sailors changed over time, but the city that welcomes them has distinctly changed as well. MORE

May. 25, 2015

Women soldiers continue to battle feelings of alienation and exclusion despite serving with distinction in Afghanistan and Iraq wars; many describe sense that army remains a male institution in which they do not truly belong, saying bonds of unconditional love between soldiers eluded them during deployment; issue is highlighted by high rate of sexual harassment, depression and suicide among female soldiers. MORE

May. 25, 2015

Memorial Day remains one of busiest at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, and sentiment of holiday is evident in precision of military burials and work carried out there through entire year. MORE

May. 25, 2015

Charles M Blow Op-Ed column calls for American public to recognize Memorial Day as holiday honoring sacrifices made by those in armed services; notes shrinking number of public officials who have served and growing dependence on people from disadvantaged backgrounds to fill military ranks and fight wars; urges awareness of increasing segregation of military caste from larger society. MORE

May. 24, 2015

Editorial urges Pres Obama to veto defense budget bill unless Congress abandons budgetary sleight-of-hand contained in bill and includes numbers of measures that could save billions of dollars. MORE

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Colonel Germano was relieved of command at Parris Island in June under circumstances that remain contentious, and then the Marine Corps Gazette decided not to print an article of hers that had been scheduled. It is now printed here.

This investigation, initiated by the commander of the Marine Corps Training Depot at Parris Island, found that Colonel Germano, the commander of the women’s training battalion, created a “hostile, repressive, and unprofessional command climate.”